The present disclosure relates generally to subterranean drilling and production operations and, more particularly, the present disclosure relates to a method and apparatus for mixing, transporting, storing, and transferring thixotropic fluids in one container.
Subterranean drilling and production operations typically utilize a variety of types of fluids, including thixotropic fluids. These thixotropic fluids may include many of the thixotropic spacers, sweeps, barrier pills, and fluid Loss Control Material (LCM) pills, which form gels under static conditions that must be broken by shearing before discharging. Accordingly, these thixotropic fluids are difficult to transfer out of transport containers commonly used for short term storage because it is difficult to prime transfer pumps when the thixotropic fluid is in a gelled state. Thixotropic fluids that are suspending solids such as barite or calcium carbonate weighing agents are particularly difficult to store and then discharge due to the gradual settling of the high density solids during storage. These settled solids may plug fluid discharge ports. To avoid problems associated with storing and transferring thixotropic fluids, the fluids are frequently built on site and quickly pumped downhole, without allowing time for the fluids to gel. Unfortunately, this practice can tie up rig personnel and rig pits during critical drilling operations, resulting in extra rig time, poor quality control, and/or the cost of renting additional blending and pumping equipment.
While embodiments of this disclosure have been depicted and described and are defined by reference to exemplary embodiments of the disclosure, such references do not imply a limitation on the disclosure, and no such limitation is to be inferred. The subject matter disclosed is capable of considerable modification, alteration, and equivalents in form and function, as will occur to those skilled in the pertinent art and having the benefit of this disclosure. The depicted and described embodiments of this disclosure are examples only, and not exhaustive of the scope of the disclosure.